Rev. Dr. Arthur Ray White

Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the death of his Faithful Servants.

~ Psalm 116:15

The Rev. Dr. Arthur R. White, pastor of Christ Community Baptist Church in Philadelphia, Penn., died Saturday, March 21, 2020. He was 71 years old.

A Celebration of Life memorial service will be held at a later date.

Rev. Dr. Arthur R. White was born July 4, 1948, in Roanoke to the Late Deacon Vandy White and Geraldine Joubert White. He was a fourth-generation preacher in the White Family. Rev. Dr. White was pastor at Christ Community Baptist Church for 39 years.

Rev. Dr. White attended Bethune High School in Welsh (1st-11th grades) and was the first black to graduate from Roanoke High in 1966. He received a bachelor of science in medical technology from McNeese State University in 1971. Inspired by Rev. V.E. Washington, Rev. Dr. White then received his master of divinity from Virginia Union School of Theology in 1974. Continuing his education in the Lord, he took post-graduate courses in preaching, hermeneutics, theology and missiology from Lutheran Theological Seminary. In 2011, he earned a doctorate of ministry degree at Biblical Theological Seminary.

Rev. Dr. White served as director of Christian Education of the Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention from 1986-1996 and as president of The Pennsylvania Baptist State Convention from 2001-2005.

Rev. Dr. White was also co-chair of the Theological Commission and Philadelphia Host Committee for the National Baptist Convention Congress of Christian Education. He was assistant dean of the National Baptist Convention, Congress of Christian Education. He was a member of various religious boards, commissions committees and community organizations. He also taught at institutes, seminars, workshops, revivals and conventions.

Rev. Dr. Arthur R. White is survived by his wife, Thelma Wilson White; three daughters, Tina, Kimberly and Ashly; two granddaughters, Brenae and Peyton; and two grandsons, Brendan and Brylan, all of Philadelphia; his mother, Geraldine J. White; one sister, Vandell W. Lockett (Harold); three brothers, Rev. Carl White (Vicki) and Kelvin White, all of Lake Charles, and Rev. Kirby White of Shreveport; three stepsisters, Linda Pitre, Julia Fontenot and Kathy Guillory; two stepbrothers, Charles and Harry Guillory; two aunts, Lora Edwards (Ivory Joe) of Lake Charles and Jeanola Sherman of Shreveport; one uncle, Herman Joubert (Julia) of Milton, N.C.; a host of nieces and nephews who loved him dearly and a host of beloved cousins and friends.

Published in Jennings Daily News April 2, 2020